Google to shed another 1,200 jobs at MotorolaGoogle's Motorola Mobility division is in the process of paring 1,200 jobs -- more than 10% of that unit's workforce, the company confirmed today. Motorola announced in August plans to shed 4,000 jobs in an attempt to become profitable. In an e-mail to employees this week, Motorola said that stiff challenges remain. "[O]ur costs are too high, we're operating in markets where we're not competitive and we're losing money," the e-mail read. The cuts will be spread over Motorola's U.S., Chinese and Indian divisions. Reuters
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How Much Do You Really Need to Make? The Answer May Shock YouRather than focus on what you can afford to pull out of the business to cover your living expenses, you need to focus on how much you need to earn at your business in order to afford the lifestyle you want to have. This is where the Personal Earnings Goal, or PEG, comes into play. Learn how to calculate your PEG and find out how much you really need to make.

Company News

Microsoft to get $650 million over length of Nokia pactMicrosoft's agreement with Nokia will net the Windows Phone creator $650 million in licensing over the life of the agreement, Nokia disclosed on Thursday, adding that Microsoft's payments to support the Finnish phone maker will still exceed those fees this year. In its annual report, Nokia also said that CEO Stephen Elop did not receive a cash bonus in 2012 and that the company has targeted capital spending for a 24% cut this year. Nokia reduced Elop's cash compensation in 2012 by 45% to $5.61 million. Bloomberg Businessweek
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AT&T said to start BlackBerry Z10 sales on March 22BlackBerry's Z10 touch-screen smartphone reportedly will reach U.S. shores on March 22 when AT&T begins selling the handset at its retail outlets, according to a published report, which notes that Verizon Wireless has indicated it will introduce the BlackBerry 10 device in late March. Also, CEO Thorsten Heins said that while the company would market lower-cost phones in emerging countries, it would not match the $50 or $60 price points offered by Asian phone makers. Heins also confirmed that BlackBerry wants to update its PlayBook tablet to the BB 10 operating system. Total Telecom Magazine (U.K.)/Dow Jones Newswires
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(3/8), Bloomberg Businessweek
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Developer reality: Many apps don't make itMany developers who are drawn into the world of making mobile applications by the hugely publicized success of some software have found reality somewhat more sobering. Small, independent developers without major marketing budgets have had a particularly difficult time. "There are so many startups that die with a whimper," said Dan Cheung, whose Spork food-rating app business went broke within a year. The Wall Street Journal
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Combating Identity Theft in a Mobile, Social WorldMobile connectivity threats extend from consumers to the business environment. But who is really responsible for securing sensitive information? Smart business leaders are becoming proactive on the matter. Learn how to get protected in this white paper. Download the white paper now.

Technology

Apple asks court to reverse ITC on patent claim vs. MotorolaApple has appealed to a U.S. Court of Appeals to reverse a U.S. International Trade Commission ruling that disallowed the company's patent complaint against Google's Motorola Mobility over touch-screen technology in mobile devices. In another patent dispute, Apple has received some help from Nokia, which filed a federal court brief supporting Apple's push to ban the sales of some Samsung Electronics phones. And a British High Court has ruled against Samsung in a U.K. dispute, saying that the South Korean company's patents were invalid. Bloomberg Businessweek
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MetroPCS keeps Ericsson in tow with 4G upgrade plansMetroPCS Communications expressed its intent to continue to improve its 4G-related offerings by engaging Ericsson to upgrade its fledgling voice-over-Long-Term-Evolution service and support the prepaid carrier's further expansion into advanced voice and video chat features known as Rich Communications Services. The Swedish gear maker has worked with MetroPCS for more than three years on the carrier's VoLTE service. Light Reading Mobile
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How SDN Makes Campus Networks BetterWhen should agencies adopt SDN? IDC reports that SDN provides immediate benefits for government campus networks, including modernized IT infrastructures that are more agile, cost-effective, and collaborative.Read this new IDC paper to learn more.

Public Policy

FCC chief: Agency remains committed to finding spectrumFederal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski said the government remains dedicated to unlocking more wireless spectrum and pointed to substantial progress made in the area during his tenure at the FCC. In a collegiate event this week, Genachowski pushed licensed and unlicensed use of the frequencies and called for more research into products that would make more effective use of spectrum. Network World
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FTC moves against alleged text message spammersThe Federal Trade Commission has sued 18 individuals -- 29 defendants in all -- in federal court seeking action against companies that allegedly order or engineer the sending of hundreds of millions of misleading spam messages to mobile phone users via text. In the eight lawsuits, the FTC claims that spammers inform people of free prizes if they provide certain personal data to the companies. The users, who get sent through myriad screens and forms, rarely win anything and generally end up paying for shipping and handling, according to the FTC's C. Steven Baker. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
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